Carney says his middle-powers doctrine is ‘gaining real traction,’ announces intel-sharing pact with France

Prime Minister Mark Carney meets with France's President Emmanuel Macron ahead of bilateral talks at The Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris on June 12, 2026. Photo by Ludovic MARIN/AFP via Getty Images

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OTTAWA – On a visit to Paris, Prime Minister Mark Carney said he believes the notion is catching on for middle powers to unite against “hegemons,” as he laid out in his attention-grabbing speech in Davos, Switzerland, earlier this year.

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“It is gaining real traction,” said Carney during a press conference in the French capital on Friday. “You see it in the agreements we have, you see … those translating into specific business-to-business and research arrangements that are coming forward.”

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Carney met with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace, where both leaders announced a new general security of information agreement, designed to deepen defence ties between the two countries and facilitate the exchange of classified information.

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The prime minister described Canada’s relationship with France as more than just friendship, and reiterated comments made last month that he believes the international order would be rebuilt out of Europe.

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“Canada, France and Europe are poised to be a powerful force for good, in the century ahead,” said Carney.

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Carney’s visit to Paris is part of a weeklong trip that will end at the annual G7 Summit at Evian-Les-Bains, France, with a stopover in Ireland.

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Macron holds the G7 presidency this year, after Carney held it in 2025 and hosted the summit last year in Kananaskis, Alta.

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Macron said France serves as a key bridge between Canada and Europe.

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“More than ever, we share the same understanding of the world,” he said. “We observe that the international order is fragmented, marked by the return of power politics, by challenges to established rules, by economic coercion, by interference and by information warfare.”

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The focus of the agenda for next’s week summit will include the Iran war and the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, support for Ukraine, the regulation of artificial intelligence and social media, global trade imbalances with China and critical mineral supply chains.

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“If you look at the key issues of security around the Gulf, evolution of the Gulf War, and the situation in Ukraine, the security situation, and providing support (these are) very much common objectives,” said Carney, adding that there may be different approaches around AI.

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“I’m looking forward to this summit, and I’m looking forward (to) the broader participation that will be at the summit, everyone from Kenya through to the UAE, who will be there at the broader outreach, that’s an important component of this,” he added.

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Carney’s strategy of building alliances among midsized powers, especially in Europe, is key to his attempt to pivot from Canadian dependence on the U.S.